The Ghana Hotels Association has revealed that hotels in Ghana will be laying off more workers in the coming days.
Dr. Edward Ackah-Nyamekeh, the President of the Association hinted that this comes as a result of their inability to access the GHC 1 billion stimulus package being rolled out to support businesses.
The government devoted GH¢600 million as stimulus package, aided by some banks input of GHC 400 million to support businesses deal with the impact of the Covid-19.
Members of the Association according to Dr. Ackah-Nyamekeh have indeed applied to benefit from the stimulus package being disbursed by the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), however hotels have not yet received any substantial response from the organization.
“Two months after the applications commenced, we are yet to receive anything and the two months after the applications means five months into the pandemic”.
Edward Ackah-Nyamekeh,
He indicated that, the silence has exacerbated the plight of his members and has further pushed them over a financial cliff-edge as a dire consequence of the pandemic.
“We have been on the roof shouting but the excuse that we have been given is that they started with the micro businesses, those who requested for the GH¢1000 and the GH¢1500. They are also talking of the numbers that applied, hundreds of thousands and so they are having to move in phases”.
The grievances and complaints of the association revolves around government’s deafness regarding their plea as they have patiently waited, and as a result most of the hotels are considering the prospect of staff layoffs.
“Right from the beginning, we said the idea of giving the NBSSI that money to share was a non-starter. They promised that once you get the application in two weeks, you will get the disbursement but two months and no show”.
“As we speak now, some of the hotels are talking of redundancy. From March up to June, we all play the wait and see game that maybe government will come in but it is becoming obvious”.
Due to the pandemic, night clubs and some hospitality centers shut down their operation as mandatory restrictions were imposed by the President.
The government also banned all public gatherings including conferences, workshops, funerals, festivals, political rallies, church activities, and other related events as part of measures to stop the spread of coronavirus in the country, when the President gave the order when he addressed the nation on Sunday, March 15, 2020.
On June 14, during the easing of restrictions, President Akufo-Addo indicated “Private burials are taking place, market places, public transport, including domestic air transport, restaurants, hotels, individual and non-contact sports, and our constitutional and statutory bodies are conducting their activities in accordance with social distancing and the relevant hygiene protocols”.
Despite some respite from the restrictions, some hotels have insisted low turnout by patrons as the pandemic has had an adverse toll on their businesses.
